News Releases 2014

LETU Speaker to Consider Sexual Identity from Christian Perspective During Family Life Week March 19-21

Tue, Mar 18 2014

LeTourneau University will feature Dr. Mark Yarhouse speaking on the issue of sexual identity during its Family Life Week March 19-21. Each of his presentations is free and open to the public. His presentations will be held in the S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center at the following dates and times:
• Wednesday, March 19 at 10:50 a.m. "Stewardship of our sexuality"
• Wednesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. "Sexual identity and the Christian"
• Thursday, March 20 at 11 a.m. "Understanding gender identity concerns"
• Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m. "Engaging in cultural discourse on sexuality with convicted civility"
• Friday March 21 at 10:50 a.m. "Helping Christians overcome pornography"
Yarhouse is currently the Rosemarie Scotti Hughes Endowed Chair of Christian Thought in Mental Health Practice at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., where he is a core faculty member in the doctoral program in clinical psychology. He launched the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity (ISSI) and works with doctoral students in three major areas including research, training and clinical services.
They conduct research on how sexual identity develops and synthesizes over time and the attributions people make in response to their same-sex sexuality. Trainings are conducted monthly for students in ISSI and clinical services include individual, couple, family and group therapy are provided for people who are navigating these issues.
Yarhouse has spent several years promoting dialogue between people who view the topic of sexual identity differently. In 2000, he chaired a groundbreaking symposium at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention that brought together gay psychologists and conventionally religious psychologists to discuss common ground in treatment options for persons sorting out sexual and religious identity conflicts.
Yarhouse chaired similar symposia (dialogues between professionals who represent different communities) at the APA on the many meanings of marriage (among different religions and among various groups within the gay community), services for adolescents experiencing sexual identity confusion, and a recently-proposed sexual identity therapy framework.
Yarhouse is the past recipient of the Gary R. Collins Award for Excellence in Christian Counseling (American Association of Christian Counselors) and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence at Regent University (Professor of the Year). He was a past participant with the Ethics and Public Policy Center think tank in Washington, D.C., and he was named Senior Fellow with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities to conduct a study of sexual identity concerns among sexual minority students at Christian colleges and universities.
He has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is author or co-author of several books, including Sexual Identity Synthesis: Attributions, Meaning-Making and the Search for Congruence, Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation, and Homosexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Parents, Pastors, and Friends.